Broken
by fangs211
Summary: Everything can be fixed, right?


Still on a writer's block. I'm also super busy since I've opened plushie commissions.

Things that happened to me that might affect my writing style.

I lost two best friends.

The first was a little black mouse, so great that words doesn't do him justice. I haven't really gotten over him, I guess.

The second, well, I don't want to talk about it.

But yeah, this story is kinda based on my feelings? You might be able to tell the difference, not much.

It's been a while, I miss writing.

Have this disclaimer.

I don't own Digimon or its characters!

…

Dark. Quiet. Desolated. But Ryo felt at peace, although inside, he felt lonely. Ryo looked up at the sky and sighed. _Cyberdramon. Where are you?_

No answer. Not like Ryo expected one.

He sighed again and shoved his hands into his pockets then walked on, head down. He didn't want anyone to recognize him, at least not when he was upset.

Ryo walked over to the lake, watching the reflection of the moon on the lake. _I wonder if Cyberdramon was looking at the Earth from the Digiworld and missing me. Naw, probably not, that guy has no heart, he wouldn't miss me._

A soft noise caught Ryo's attention and curious, he turned around, listening, then followed his ears into the trees. A dark figure huddled between the roots of a cherry tree, comparatively small against the big tree.

"Hey, are you okay?" Ryo asked cautiously, trying to access the person. The small slender figure suggested female. She wasn't so small that it indicated child. Her long, lanky, and -if Ryo was permitted to say- hot form implied teenager. Younger than him, not older. Probably old enough to have issues and problems that any normal rebellious teenager would have but definitely too young to be outside at an ungodly time like this and cry it out. But who was he to judge, he was out here too, dealing with his own problems and issues in solitude.

The person stopped crying and there was movement as she peeked up at him. Then a sad sob and she was crying even harder.

"Hey, hey, hey, it's okay, I won't hurt you." Ryo drew closer, squinting into the shadows to see the person then scrambled back when he did. "Ri-Ri-Rika?"

Indeed it was. His little Ice Queen, sitting all by herself, crying.

Ryo hesisted. If he came close, she would hate him for that and probably rip his eyes out. But something told him that she was in no condition to even push him away. Ryo sat down next to Rika and awkwardly patted her back. "What's wrong, Wildcat?"

"Go away," Rika ordered, face buried in her arms.

"Aw pumpkin," Ryo pleaded, grabbing her arm and tugged, trying to get a peek at her beautiful face and expression.

"Just please, Akiyama. I don't want to hurt you." She choked out, trying not to cry.

"Considering you already have hurt me, I can say I honestly don't care." Ryo teased, trying to get a light mood into this dense and dark atmosphere.

Rika didn't answer. But at least she didn't cry, just sniff remorsefully.

"Rika, I'm not leaving you until you tell me what's wrong." Ryo tugged at her arm again. "You're worrying me."

"It's none of your business. You don't have to worry about it."

"We're friends," Ryo said softly. "I will worry about it."

"Akiyama." Rika said again, her voice exasperated, tired.

"Wildcat," Ryo replied promptly.

Rika sighed.

Ryo managed to pull one arm away from her knee and face. She struggled to yank her arm back but he was stronger. Rika balled up her fist.

"OW!"

So Ryo's judgment was a little a-hole. Rika was always fully capable of punching him. Rubbing his sore jaw, Ryo grabbed her fist and held it down, away from his face. Rika waited for him to complain and scold her but he just rubbed his jaw, patiently looking at her.

Rika looked away, refusing to speak.

"See, you hurting me is nothing new." Ryo finally said to break the growing tension. "Rika, you can punch me a million times, I still won't go away."

"I can. But doing so won't make it go away either."

"What's 'it'?" Ryo wondered out loud.

"Nothing."

Ryo waited. When she didn't reply, he sighed then continued. "Uh, maybe punching me won't make it go away but maybe I can punch it for you, see if that makes whatever it is go away."

"Akiyama." Rika sighed. " 'It' is not a person, it's not that easy. I was talking about my feelings."

Instead of ridiculing her and pretending to be astonished she admitted to having feelings, Ryo leaned closer. Rika was on the verge of letting down her walls and he wasn't gonna mess up his chance to finally be there for her when she needed him. "Have you thought about talking about it?"

Rika shook her head. "It's not that easy."

"Hey, I'm the guy who had to control Cyberdramon. I know what 'not easy' is." Ryo joked, then regretted it when Rika's eyebrows knitted together in a frown and her eyes got teary. "Uh, did I say something wrong?"

Rika looked away and let the tears slid down her cheek. Ryo frantically reached over to wipe them with his sleeves but Rika turned her head away from him.

"I'm sorry Rika, whatever I said, I didn't mean it," Ryo apologized.

"No…it's not you." Rika said hollowly.

Another moment of silence but Ryo had a feeling he should remain quiet and let her speak first. Then again, last time he 'had a feeling', his notion was wrong and his jaw had paid the price.

Ryo was about to speak up again when Rika did.

"Don't you miss him?"

"Who?" Ryo wondered.

Rika hesisted then said, "Cyberdramon."

"Well yeah. He's my partner, I've known him for a long time. We've saved each other so many times, been together for so long." Ryo was about to go on but remembered he wasn't here to feel bad about himself, at least not while Rika was feeling bad. Taking a wild (okay, not so wild) guess, Ryo asked, "Is this about Rena-"

"Don't," Rika whispered. "Don't say her name."

Ryo didn't. "Well is it?"  
"Yes." Rika mumbled.

"Rika, she's doing fine. She's got the rest of them, all in the Digiworld. The same way we have each other."

Rika shook her head then began to laugh bitterly. "Oh Akiyama, you're so naïve. Don't you see? We're all alone. Now that the digimons aren't here, Takato, Jeri, Henry… the rest…they don't know what to do together. Our time together as the tamers was just that. To tame the bad digimons. We never went to movies or had a day off, it was all planning for the next attack, executing the offense, then back to prepare for the next digimon that came through. Now that it's over, well, we've got nothing."

Ryo frowned. "Kazu told me you guys were doing fine though…"

Rika snorted. "Kazu's so obsessed with you, he'd kill someone before he'd upset you. I bet you, Kazu has never mentioned me specifically, just referring to 'us' as a group. Truth is, it's back to the way things were before the whole D-reaper. Takato and the two numskulls, best friends again, getting bad grades and spending all day playing card games. Jeri's taken quite the liking towards the Gogglehead, I dunno why. Henry tried to fit in with them but he doesn't like it, he's not interested in the card games after being through the whole real experience. He's kept me updated through emails but it's not the same as when the three of us would run around the city, together. None of them, aside from Henry, has bothered to email me. I've stopped replying. And I bet you, the only reason Kazu still emails you is because he's still trying to impress you and get you to be his best friend and give him pointers on the game."

Now that Rika said it, Ryo realized she was right, what she said was true. Being way older than the rest of them, going to a different school far away, and basically being the outcast, different one, Ryo was fine with not keeping in touch with the rest of the tamers, he thought they were just all too busy to deal with him and he felt the same. No point in talking to them. What's there to talk about? Oh hi, how's your classes? Super easy compared to mine. And your drama? At least you have each other to hold and hug. I'm all alone, I've got absolutely nothing.

"I'm sorry, Rika, that they treat you like this. I know how it feels like, to be the one going to a different school, living in a different place."

"No, don't give me any of that." Rika ran her hand through her hair, still exasperated. "I know it's harder for you since you live so far away. At least you have that excuse. That you live far away and that you're older and not that close. You could always tell yourself it's because of that. But I don't. I have no excuse. I live close to the other tamers, we could always meet up. But we don't meet up, we don't plan anything, we don't even email each other regularly." Rika looked at the ground, refusing to meet his eyes. "It hurts, that they don't even try. I know I'm supposed to be the Ice Queen and all that but I liked having friends. Or "friends". Truth is, Renamon was my only true friend. And now she's gone."

Ryo frowned. "You may be the Ice Queen but you're still human. You loved and trusted them and being abandoned sucks big time. It leaves you wondering what you did wrong and how you could fix it. And Renamon. Well, she had no choice to leave, we know that. She would never leave you if she had any other choice. Don't worry about your friends. Besides, some things can't be fixed, it's better off broken. But don't worry, we'll move on, we're humans, we progress on. "

Rika tensed.

_Aww crud. What did I say now. _

Rika looked at the ground. "Don't say that, please. Please, Akiyama."

"Say what?" Ryo was confused.

"Please," Rika begged. "Say that things can be fixed."

"Why?"

"Please, Ryo, just say it." Rika whimpered.

" I don't understand…"

"I don't want to move on," Rika whispered, half to herself. She sighed then reached into her pocket and pulled out a jumble of wires and plastic and held it out to Ryo.

Ryo accepted it, careful not to drop any pieces then was horrified when he recognized what it was. Rika's precious d-Arc, all broken with a cracked screen, pieces of the sides falling off, wires exposed. "What happened?!"

"I got upset," Rika admitted. "And for the record, throwing anything at a brick wall is a terrible idea."

"But why?" Ryo looked at her with horrified eyes, wishing she would laugh and declare something stupid like "For the lolz of course!" then proceed to admit it was a fake, her real d-Arc was safe.

"I, uh, got mad. And threw it at the wall."

"Rika…." Ryo had no idea what to say.

Rika sighed. "It can't be fixed. I'm a terrible person, all I do is destroy things."

"That's not true," Ryo began.

"Don't!" Rika shoved him away, scrambling to her feet and glaring down at him, breathing hard to keep the tears from falling. "Just don't!"

Ryo looked up at her and Rika felt a small pang of guilt. He hasn't meant anything, he was trying to help. And she had snapped at him when it was entirely her fault.

"Rika," Ryo said softly and held out his arm to her. When she stepped back nervously, he held his hands up defensively, then slowly extended his hand out to her.

Rika let him take her hand and let him tug her back down to sit. He let go of her hand and placed his arm over her shoulder, cautiously to see her reaction first. When she did nothing, he held her against his body. Rika tucked her face to her knees and went silent. Ryo didn't dare push his luck even more by speaking and instead looked at the sky and its stars. A soft sob alerted him that she was crying and Ryo wanted to sooth her and wipe her tears away but he knew she wouldn't appreciate it.

Finally he couldn't bear the silence anymore. "Rika."

She went silent again.

"The D-arc…I'm sorry. It can't be fixed. But that doesn't matter. It's just a stupid junk of a machine. Maybe it represented something important to you – your bond with her. But it doesn't express that bond to its truest form. Her, herself. Your memories. Those are what matters most, what means the most to you. And you can't ever damage the memories, never ever ever."

Rika gave a quiet sigh and shifted to wipe her face with her jacket sleeves. "I guess you're right…"

Silence again, this time peaceful.

After a while, Rika spoke up again. "How'd you get so good at this? At prioritizing humans and knowing what's important?"

Ryo smiled grimly. "Being in the digital world with Cyberdramon…it doesn't give me a chance to have any sentimental values. I had to have a clear idea of what was best and what could be sacrificed or I would lose what was truly important."

Rika smiled weakly as she realized it was true.

Ryo took his chance to reach over with his other hand and wipe away a solitary tear with the pad of his thumb. "Feeling better?"

"Much," Rika whispered, leaning back into his warm side. "Thank you, Ryo."

Ryo smiled back and didn't reply. Peaceful silence again and Ryo relaxed, closing his eyes so he wouldn't be tempted to stare at Rika all the time like some goshdam creeper. Rika relaxed too.

About two minutes later, Ryo wondered why Rika hadn't gotten up. He opened his eyes and glanced down. Fast asleep. Oh.

Well then.

Sighing, Ryo tucked the broken D-art into his pocket. Then sucking in a deep breath, he gathered her up in his arms. She barely stirred and Ryo was relieved she didn't lest she erupted and beat him up for carrying her. He carefully adjusted his hold so it would be easier to carry her and began the long walk to her home.

Praise the digigods that her grandma answered the door and without even questioning who the heck he was or what was wrong with Rika, she smiled tiredly. "Rika's room is down the hall past that corner."

"Okay," Ryo said weakly, arms shaking from her weight. The longer he carried her, the heavier she seemed to be. You would think years of restraining Cyberdramon would give him good muscles but the years of NOT restraining Cyberdramon had made the muscles disappear.

Her door slid open without rattling too much and Ryo gratefully placed Rika down on her futon. Dam, although she wasn't fat and quite slim, he would now appreciate it if she had agreed to follow through on one of her mom's suggested diets too. Smiling tenderly at her, he pulled her blanket over her and turned to leave.

A soft glow from the corner of his eyes caught his attention and he turned towards it. Something was glowing on her desk. Squinting, he approached cautiously then grinned when he realized what it was. A D-arc, identical to her old one down to the color but entirely attached and whole, hummed softly. Ryo reached into his pockets and realized the broken one was gone. Ryo sat down at her desk and rummaging around, he found a sheet of paper without getting too deep into her personal stuff. After writing a quick note, Ryo folded it up and tucked it under the D-arc then left the room.

Seiko bowed at Ryo. "Thank you for bringing her home. Please, stay for a cup of tea."

Ryo bowed back awkwardly. "It was no problem. And ah, sorry but no thank you. I regret declining your offer but I've got to get home now."

"Take care."

"You too. Good bye. Good night! See you!" Ryo grinned then left as quickly as possible.

Seiko smiled. See you? Did that boy plan on coming around again later on? Oh interesting. Rika was going to have a lot of explaining to do when she woke up.

~A while back in Rika's room~

Hearing the door to her room shut close, Rika stirred then got up, rubbing her eyes. "Ryo?"

Footsteps receding. Meaning he was just here but leaving and he didn't hear her. Rika was about to call for him again then realized she was at home. Nope, better to keep quiet lest her mom or grandma heard her calling for a boy.

Noticing a soft light from her desk, Rika got up and walked over.

A D-arc rested in the middle of her desk, brand new, unscratched, perfect. Rika gasped then smiled. Paper rustled when she picked it up and Rika frowned then turned on her lamp and reached for the paper.

Rika,

Things can be fixed.

With care,

Ryo

Rika grinned when she realized why his words were so familiar.

She's gonna have to remember to email him tomorrow. As for now, Rika was too exhausted from the day to do much aside from sleep. Hearing his voice in the front, bidding her grandma a good night, Rika smiled again. _Good night Heroboy._

…

Done.

*fangs211 rolls away, then comes back* Sorry, I know it was kinda pointless and ehhh.

Still on a writer's block.

And holy matafraka, I realized that I had a Katsuma story up but left it at a big cliffhanger. OOPS MY BAD I'M SORRY, I APOLOGIZE. I'm sooo sorry, I haven't got the motivation to finish it but fear not, it's not gonna stay unfinished for long. qnq Actually, I lied, it might stay unfinish for a while longer cuz of the damn 3 year writer's block that I've got.

I'm trying to get rid of my writer's block, I mean I got inspiration for another story! But it's not a fanfiction of any sort, it's an entirely new story…

On another note, if you wanna get updates on my art and ect, please like my facebook page! I post my best art, animation videos, and the occasional story update there. Please like it! I will post the other stories on there too. - 3 -

fangs211

That's all, fangs out.


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